Relay set comprising two relays



Feb. 19, 1963 G. BRAUMANN 3,078,359

RELAY SET COMPRISING TWO RELAYS Filed July 29, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1963 G. BRAUMANN RELAY SET COMPRISING TWO RELAYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1960 Feb. 19, 1963 GIBRAUMANN RELAY SET COMPRISING TWO RELAYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 29, 1960 United States Patent Orifice Patented Feb. 1953 3,078,359 RELAY EiET CGMPRISHNG TWO RELAYS Gundoirar Braumann, Munich, Germany, assiguor to Siemens 8: Halske Aktiengesellschat't Berlin and Mnnich, a corporation of German Filed July 29, 1960, Ser. No. 46,146 (Ilaims priority, application Germany Aug. 19, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 200103) This invention is concerned with a relay set constructed of two electromagnetic relays.

The armatures of known relay sets of the above noted kind are disposed side by side and the cores or yokes are interconnected by transversely extending yoke webs.

The 'armatures have until now been arranged in the above indicated manner even in the case of relays employing parts of magnetic circuits as electrical conductors.

The object of the invention is to provide a relay set of the type indicated in the preceding paragraph, which distinguishes over known relay sets by savings with respect to individual parts, thus simplifying production, and which is constructed so that it is particularly suitable for use in connection with relay coupling fields or cross point circuits and adapted to the wiring conditions prevailing therein.

This object is realized by disposing the armatures serially along the longitudinal axis thereof, so that their free ends face in opposite directions, while positioning the core member perpendicular to the longitudinal dircction of the armatures, with the free ends of the armatures overlapping the core member and forming a working air gap therewith.

A single core member will thus sufiice for two relays, thereby eilecting a saving with respect to individual par-ts.

The relay set according to the invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with relay coupling field or cross point circuit techniques because it provides within the smallest possible space three mutually parallel extending wiring planes, resulting in obvious advantages upon combining a plurality of relay sets to form a cross point or coupling field. The relay according to the invention is moreover especially adapted for cooperation with mutually independent layerwise superposed magetic circuits such as have already been employed in connection with previously known relays. The advantages of the new relay in the case of cross point circuits or coupling fields are increased by the superposed arrangement of magnetic circuits because it is possible, due to the presence of three parallel disposed wiring planes, to allocate a plurality of contact points to each individual relay.

According to another feature of the invention, the individual layerwise superposed magnetic circuits are respectively inserted between two layers of a carrier made of insulating material which are bonded together so as to form the relay set as a unitary structure. The layers of the carrier can thus be made to closely embrace or envelop the contact points, and the bonding together of these layers, for example, by fusing, offers the possibility of disposing the contact points within spaces or chambers which are respectively evacuated or filled with a protective gas. This feature likewise enchances the favorable properties of the new relay set for use in connection with coupling fields or cross point circuits since it provides particularly good con-tact conditions for circuit switching.

Further advantages with respect to the coupling field or cross point technique are in accordance with another feature of the invention obtained by combining a plurality of the new relay sets to form a relay strip, such combination being eflected by the provision of a core member which is common to the entire relay strip and comprises the core members for the individual relay sets thereof. This arrangement simplifies construction and results in the particular advantage that the wiring planes lying centrally thereof are switched through for all relay sets of the relay strip, thereby greatly facilitating the wiring operations ot be carried out in a coupling field.

The previously mentioned arrangement, in connection with an individual relay set, of the individual magnetic circuits between layers of insulating carriers, may be applied in production-simplifying manner in connection with a relay strip, by the provision of carrier members extending throughout the length of the relay strip in superposed planes, each such member being of an integral ructure and including all insulating carriers disposed successively in the corresponding plane. It is for the construction of the relay strip particularly advantageous to eiieot the interconnection or bonding together of the integral carrier members of the various planes or layers so that the contact points lie within airtight sealed chambers. The integral structure of the respective core member tor all relay sets permits disposal thereof between the insulating carrier members or layers so as to require only two lead-out terminals, resulting in a great advantage inasmuch as such terminals involve in sealed-in relays the most sensitive places so far as the sealing of the contact chambers or spaces is concerned.

For example, when considering a relay strip such as will be presently describd, comprising six successively disposed relay sts, having four superposed magnetic circuits, there will be required a lead-out terminal for each of the 48 contacts and 2 lead-cut terminals for each of 4 core members, that is, a total of 56 lead-out terminals. Upon comparing this arrangement with one containing the same number of dry reed contacts, requiring for each contact two lcad-out terminals, that is, a total of 96 lead-out terminals, it will be seen that there will result a saving amounting to 40 lead-out terminals, thus clearly showing the advantage of the above indicated structural disposition of the magnetic circuits between inter-fused carrier layers in connection with relay strips according to the invention.

The various objects and features of the invention will appear from the description of embodiments thereof which will be rendered below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in schematic representation the arrangement of parts forming the magnetic circuits of a relay set according to the invention;

H6. 2 represents in similar schematic manner a relay strip constructed of a plurality of relay sets;

FIG. 3 illustrates in perspective representation the manner of disposing the iron parts of magnetic circuits in a layerwise constructed carrier;

FIG. 4- is an elevational view of a detail for FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows in elevational side view a completely assembled relay strip; and

FIG. 6 represents an end view of the relay strip.

The relay set shown in FIG. 1 comprises a core member 1, two armatures 2 and 3 and two angular magnetically conducted metal sheets 4 and 5. The two armatures are arranged with the inner ends facing One another. The core member 1 extends transverse to the longitudinal direction of the armatures, the free ends of the latter forming therewith working air gaps extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Accordingly, there are spaces between the core member 1 and the armatures 2 and 3 which determine the size of the respective air gaps.

The armatures are respectively surrounded by energizing or activating coils 6 and 7 and with holding coils 9 and 10, the latter being respectively disposed'adjacent to 3 the corresponding energizing coils at regions of the armatures facing away from the air gaps.

A relay set such as shown in FIG. 1 would be operable without the angular metal sheets 4 and 5, but it would be quite insensitive because the greater part of the flux would extend across air. The use of the angular metal sheets, which constitute a magnetically conductive connection between the respective armatures and core member, provide for a flux extending save for negligible air gaps which are upon armature attraction closed, over a closed iron path.

The core member 1 is at its ends provided with soldering tabs 11 and 12 and the armatures terminate in soldering taps 13 and 14, respectively. The armatures and the core member also serve as electrical conductors, circuit connections, not shown, being connectable to the solder ing tabs. The angular metal sheets for magnetically conductively connecting the armatures and the core member must be electrically insulated from the armatures or the core member or from both.

The armatures 2 and 3 may be, for example, resilient springs which are fixedly disposed at places near the connection thereof with the respective angular metal sheets 4 and and are upon energization attractedto actuated-position. Contact points may be riveted thereto at their free ends and corresponding cooperating contact points may be provided on the core member.

However, the structure according. to the invention also permits the use ofso-called flux brackets or members. Such a flux member may be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, showing a flux member 27 which, while broadly similar to the armatures of FIG. 1, is made as a rigid magnetically conductive part serving as a support for an armature 28 movably journalled thereto. The flux member extends beyond the free end of the armature. Such flux members may be used in place of the armatures 2 and 3,. forming with the core member air gaps with the free armature ends projecting thereinto. The angular sheet members 4 and 5' would in such case provide magnetically conductive connections between the core member and the respective flux members carrying the arm& tures. The use of flux members effects known advantages with respect to switching speed and contact pressure, which are based upon the flux superimposing condition.

The previously mentioned three wiring planes which are of advantage in the coupling. field or cross point circuit techniques, are apparent from FIG. 1. As is known, a plurality of relays are in coupling fields disposed superposed and alongside one another. Upon effecting such arrangement with the relay set according to the invention, the core member will form the central wiring plane and the soldering tabs of the armatures will form further two wiring planes extending on both sides of the core member. Upon arranging a plurality of relays successively in the direction of the core members thereof, the respective core members can be interconnected by simple soldering without requiring the use ofwires in the corresponding plane.

The relay strip illustrated in FIG. 2 is constructed of a plurality of relay sets made according to the invention and is provided with a core member 15'WhlCl1 is common for all relays of the strip. The magnetically conductive connection between the ends of the armatures and the core member is effected by two T-shaped metal sheets 16 and 17, one of eachsuch sheets extending overall armatures disposed on one side of the core member and the other establishing connection with the core member.

Instead of the armatures shown schematicallyin FIG. 2, made, for example, as resilient springs, there may again be used flux members having armatures journalled thereon, so as to obtain the previously mentioned advantages.

The advantages resulting in the coupling'field or cross point circuit technique from the use of the above explained relay strip, above and beyond the advantages obtainable by the individual relay sets, reside in the fact that the wiring of the central wiring plane is effected for all relays of the strip by the core member within the structure itself. Upon arranging a plurality of relay strips in a row, the neighboring core members can be interconnected by means of their soldering tabs.

To each armature of the arrangement represented in FIG. 2 is allotted an energizing winding or coil as indicated respectively at 18 and 19, such winding embracing the corresponding armature near the working air gap thereof. For each two armatures isprovided a common holding coil, the four holding coils being indicated by reference numerals 20-23. It is understood, of course, that a holding coil may be provided for each individual armature.

In the arrangements schematically indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the individual parts which are made in the form of flat punched elements, are respectively disposed substantially in one plane. It is now possible to dispose a plurality of such arrangements superposedin several layers and to employ coils which are respectively commonto superposed armatures, so asto provide relay sets or relay strips having a great number of mutually independently and rapidly operable contacts.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of iron parts of magnetic circuit-s of a relay'strip constructed of sixrelay sets made according to the inventiomin a carrier which is constructed so as to permit disposal of the contacts within airtight sealed chambers. As has been mentioned before, the construction of the magnetic circuits is for this purpose particularly favorable.

The manner ofassembling individual relay sets so as to construct the relay strip can be understood from the following explanations and therefore need not be separately illustrated and described. It may be expressly mentioned, however, that the iron parts of the magnetic circuits may be disposed in a manner different from the one which is apparent from FIG. 3 and that such figure accordingly represents only an example of an embodiment.

The carrier according to FIG. 3 is subdivided into layers 24 according to the layerwise disposition of the magnetic circuits. These carrier layers are, for example, ceramic members provided with a surface glazing of glass. Each carrier member or layer is flat and smooth on the bottom side and provided on the other side with tublike recesses 25 formed therein, one such recess being common to two oppositely extending armatures. The-recesses 25 are separated by webs 26.

Between the two carrier layers 24 are illustrated parts of magnetic circuits which are to be disposed therebetween. Flux members 27 carrying armatures 28 movably journalled thereon, as described before with reference to FIG; 4, are being used in the illustrated embodiment, such embodiment employing twelve flux members 27 each provided with an armature 28. Only two flux members 27 have been included in FIG. 3 for simplified representation. The flux members are rigid elements and each is provided with a soldering tab at the outer end thereof. The armatures 28 are by means of springs 30 held on the respective flux members, such springs being at one end thereof connected with the armature and having its other end connected to the corresponding flux member, for example, by Welding. As will be seen from FIG. 4, the spring 3% is in each case disposed between the armature and the flux member. A boss 31 punched from the material of the flux member provides a pivot axis for the armature at the area thereof which is opposite to the" end facing the air gap. Each flux member is provided with cars 32 at the side thereof which carries the armature, such ears being provided with cutouts 33 formed therein for a purpose which will be presently explained. The free end of the armature is provided with a cylindrical contact piece 34.

The core member 25 is shaped in meandering or undu'lating manner and provided with contact springs 36 which are secured thereto, for example, by welding. The portions of these contact springs which extend laterally from the core member, are slotted to form tongues or fingers 3'7 and 38. Each tongue is provided with a cylindrical contact piece 39 on the side thereof which faces the armature. The opposite ends of the core member are provided with soldering tabs 40.

The magnetically conductive connection between the ends of the flux members and the core member is effected by three metallic webs or strips 41 The strip 41 is welded to the core member and extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the flux members. The strips 42. and 43 which interconnect the ends of the fiux members on the respective sides of the core member and the latter over the web ll, are placed upon the flux members in electrically insulated manner with respect thereto.

The parts are assembled as follows:

The core member 35 is placed upon the carrier layer member 24- shown at the bottom of FIG. 3 so that the angular portionsthereof which carry the contact members 36 come to lie within the tublike recesses 25 while the intermediate portions thereof come to lie upon the web parts 26. A transversely extending groove 44 is provided for receiving the magnetically conductive strip orweb 41.

The flux members 27 are thereupon inserted into the bottom carrier layer 24 so that the brackets 45 in the lateral extensions of the tublike recesses enter into the cutouts 33 formed in the ears 32. Each flux member now lies with its cars 46, 47 and rearwardly with its portion 48 upon the marginal rim or wall which delimits the corresponding tublike recess, in a defined position determined by the brackets 45 in cooperation with the cutouts 33, in which position the free end of the flux member and the armature overlie the corresponding portion of the core member with the contact points 39 facing the contact point 34 on the armature.

Upon completion of the insertion of all parts of one layer, the bottom layer in the assembly sequence which is being explained, the second carrier layer (second from the top in FIG. 3) is placed with its smooth and plane underside upon the first layer. The second carrier layer or member is thereupon in similar manner equipped with the iron parts of the corresponding magnetic circuit and finally covered by a plane cover 53. It is of course evident that more than two layers of magnetic circuits can be provided between an appropriate number of carrier layer members. The metallic sheets or strips 42, 43 are not inserted between the carrier layers but are subsequently placed upon the laterally outwardly protruding ends of the flux members and the similarly protruding ends of the metallic member &1.

The parts of the assembled magnetic circuits are fixed in position by fusing the carrier layer members together, preferably employing for this purpose a glazing provided on the involved surfaces of the carrier layers which has a lower melting point than the ceramic material of which the carrier layers are made, thus forming a good bond between the individual layers.

As will be apparent from E6. 3, the contacts controlled in each layer by the oppositely disposed armatures are respectively positioned within closed chambers or spaces. The bonding or fusing can be effected in a vacuum furnace, thereby evacuating these chambers. Appropriate measures may be employed for filling these chambers with a protective gas.

The use of flux members on which the ar'matures are movably journalled provides the advantage that they may be relatively short, thus requiring only correspondingly short sealing seams between the carrier layers. Another advantage, as compared with previously known sealed-in contacts resides in the fact that the sealing areas are not put under stress incident to the armature operation and therefore are not detrimentally affected. The structure according to the invention results, as compared with structures employing resilient contact springs, in considerable saving of space, since the spring characteristics of the latter require a relatively great free length which cannot be shortened owing to contact pressure and restoring power which they must have.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a relay strip equipped with four superposed magnetic circuit layers assembled in accordance with FIG. 3. The coils are freely wound and placed without spools upon the parts 49 of the carrier layers 24 which surround the flux members and project laterally from the central part of the carrier and also upon the corresponding parts 50 of the cover 53 cooperating therewith. The energizing coils are indicated at 51. Holding coils 52 are in addition provided, one respectively in common to three relays.

The soldering tabs 29 and parts of the portions 48 of the flux members extend from the carrier body. The same is true of the ends of the magnetically conductive metallic sheet 41. Over these outwardly extending parts are placed insulating plates 57 having slots formed therein through which these parts project. These insulating plates also support rectifiers 54, one such rectifier for each relay. Instead of using in the structure according to FIGS. 5 and 6 straight metal members such as schematically shown in FIG. 3 at 4-2, 43, for magnetically conductively interconnecting the ends of the flux members with the metallic member 41, there are employed metallic sheets 55 extending throughout the entire relay strip and bent to form riblike projections 56 directed longitudinally of the relay strip, such strips having slots formed therein through which the parts extend. These plates have on the sides thereof which face the plates 57 an insulating insert and the slots formed therein are dimensioned so that they clamp fast on the ends of the flux members and on the magnetically conductive metal sheet 41. Accordingly, these plates have the plural function of providing flux paths and of fastening the insulating plates 57 in position, thereby also securing the coils 51 and 52 against inadvertent removal from the carrier.

The riblike extensions 56 bent from the members 55, which embrace the ends of the magnetically conductive metal sheet or strip 41 provide for good flux flow since the sum of the two air gaps between the sides thereof which embrace the corresponding parts remains always the same regardless of the position of the flux members extending therebetween.

The soldering tabs 40 of the core members project likewise from the carrier body, but extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the flux members and the metallic member 41 extend therefrom.

As has been mentioned before, an advantage of th core member which is common to a plurality of relay sets, resides in the fact that the described structure requires only two embodiments thereof. The portions extending from the carrier body can be made smaller, to facilitate the bonding or fusing of the carrier layers, by using lnstead of the soldering tabs wires connected with the core members and. extending therefrom to the outside of the carrier body, such Wires functioning as soldering tabs. It must be considered in this connection that the production of airtight bonds is facilitated by keeping the cross-sectional areas of outwardly projecting parts small. Similar measures can be employed in the production of individual relay sets. The same applies for the outwardly extending parts of the flux members or armatures. A further advantage of such measure resides in the fact that the iron parts may be made of iron which can be selected independent of its coefficient of expansion and without re ard to the kind of material utilized for the carrier parts.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. A relay set constructed of at least two relays, comprising at least two movable armatures disposed serially in longitudinal direction thereof with their free ends in mutually facing position, at least one core member disposed in a position extending perpendicularly to the Ion gitudinal direction of said armatures, the free ends of said armatures overlapping said core member and forming working air gaps therewith, energizing means for setting up flux to cause attraction of the respective armatures by said core member, and means for connecting current to said armatures and said core member so as to utilize such elements as electrical conductors.

2. A relay set according to claim 1, wherein said armatures extend in a single plane.

3. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising means carried by the respective armatures forming contact points at the free ends thereof, a pair of springs carrying contact points for cooperation with the contact point means of each armature, said springs being connected with said core member and laterally extending therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof with the corresponding contact points lying free of said core member in alignment with the ends of the respective armatures.

4. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising means for magnetically conductively interconnecting with said core member the ends of the respective armatures which are remote from the contact carrying ends thereof.

5. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising a relatively rigid fiux member for each armature, means for movably disposing the armatures on their respective flux members to extend parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof with the free ends of said ar'matures disposed within air gaps formed between the respective flux members and said core member.

6. A relay set according to claim 5, comprising means for magnetically conductively connecting with said core member the ends of said flux members which face away therefrom.

7. A relay set according to claim 5, comprising a spring for connecting each armature with its respective flux member so as to hold such armature in position thereon and to impart restoring power thereto.

8. A relay set according to claim 7, wherein the ends of said spring are respectively welded tosaid flux member and to said armature 9. A relay set according to claim 8, wherein said spring extends for its entire length between the armature and said flux member.

10. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising an energizing coil allotted to and surrounding each armature.

11. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising a holding coil allotted to and surrounding each armature.

12. A relay set according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of magnetic circuits disposed in superposed layers, and coil means which are common to superposed armatures of said magnetic circuits.

13. A relay set according to claim 12, comprising insulating carrier members enclosing therebetween said layers of magnetic circuits and bonded together to hold the parts of said magnetic circuits in assigned cooperating positions.

14. A relay set according to claim 13, wherein said insulating carrier members are surface-glazed ceramic members which are bonded together by fusing.

15. A relay set according to claim 13, wherein said insulating carrier serves as a carrier for coils allotted to the relay set.

16. A relay strip composed of a plurality of relay sets constructed according to claim 13, wherein the respective layers of insulating carrier members extending in one plane are combined in an integral structural carrier member.-

17. A relay strip according to claim 13, wherein layers of the insulating carrier members are assembled to form a double-comblilze structural unit including serially related spaced apart portions which enclose the armature means and having centrally positioned web means for said core member.

18. A relay strip according to claim 17, wherein said insulating carrier members form inassembled position individually enclosed chambers for respectively receiving the parts of the individual relay sets which carry the contact points.

19. A relay strip composed of a plurality of relay sets constructed according to claim 1, comprising a core member common to all relay sets and including the core mem bers which are respectively individual to said sets.

20. A relay strip according to claim 19, comprising meansfor magnetically conductively but electrically insulatingly interconnecting the outwardly extending ends of. the respective armatures and flux members, and at least one magnetically conductive member secured to said core member and extending in parallel with said armatures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 994,345 Sundh June 6, 1911 1,318,178 Reed s Oct. 7, 1919 2,305,450 Stibitz Dec. 15, 1942 2,361,579 Wagenseil Oct. 31, 1944 2,564,432 Hickman Aug. 14, 1951 2,610,242 Farkas Sept. 9, 1952 2,863,020 Braumann Dec. 2, 1958 

1. A RELAY SET CONSTRUCTED OF AT LEAST TWO RELAYS, COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO MOVABLE ARMATURES DISPOSED SERIALLY IN LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION THEREOF WITH THEIR FREE ENDS IN MUTUALLY FACING POSITION, AT LEAST ONE CORE MEMBER DISPOSED IN A POSITION EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID ARMATURES, THE FREE ENDS OF SAID ARMATURES OVERLAPPING SAID CORE MEMBER AND FORMING WORKING AIR GAPS THEREWITH, ENERGIZING MEANS FOR SETTING UP FLUX TO CAUSE ATTRACTION OF THE RESPECTIVE ARMATURES BY SAID CORE MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING CURRENT TO SAID ARMATURES AND SAID CORE MEMBER SO AS TO UTILIZE SUCH ELEMENTS AS ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS. 